The present invention relates generally to refrigeration appliances and in particular to ice and water dispensing units associated with refrigeration appliances.
Modern refrigeration appliances, such as household refrigerators for example, often include as one of their features a dispensing unit for water and/or ice. Frequently, the dispensing unit is located within a recess in the exterior surface of a door of the appliance. The refrigeration appliance can take any one of a number of forms. For example, the refrigeration appliance can have freezer and fresh food compartments that are arranged side-by-side or the freezer compartment can be located above the fresh food compartment. In any case, separate doors can be provided for the freezer and fresh food compartments and a dispensing unit for water and/or ice can be located within the recess in the exterior of the door that closes off the freezer compartment.
The dispensing units can include both an outlet for dispensing water and an outlet for dispensing ice. Associated with the water dispensing outlet can be a lever in the form of a cradle that is pivotally attached to the rear of the dispensing unit. A torsion spring biases the lever outwardly. When water is to be dispensed, a glass or other vessel is pressed against the lever thereby operating a switch or sensor so as to complete an electrical circuit between a source of electrical power and a solenoid-operated valve connected to a source of water. The completion of the electrical circuit opens the solenoid-operated valve permitting the water to flow from the source of water to the water dispensing outlet. When the desired amount of water has been dispensed the glass is withdrawn from the lever, the torsion spring causes the switch or sensor to be disengaged and the electrical circuit deactivated so that the solenoid-operated valve closes.
Typically, the arrangement for dispensing ice that is provided is similar to the arrangement for dispensing water. In other words, a lever in the form of a cradle is associated with the ice dispensing outlet and is pivotally attached to the rear of the dispensing unit against the force of a biasing spring. When ice is to be dispensed, a glass or other container is pressed against the lever associated with the ice dispensing outlet so as to operate a switch or sensor and complete an electrical circuit that activates a device for delivering ice from a source of ice, such as an ice storage unit, to the ice dispensing outlet. After the desired amount of ice has been dispensed, the container in which the ice has been deposited is withdrawn from the lever allowing the biasing spring to disengage the switch or sensor and deactivate the device for delivering ice from the source of ice.
It is also known to actuate the water and ice dispensing units by employing two or more intersecting beams of light such as are established between infrared light-emitting diodes and complementary infrared photo-detectors.